2.17.2007

Hoodoo Child: FreeDrafto Revisited

FreeDarko has always had a fascination with those players on the cusp of greatness, or even just League relevance. This particular element of FreeDarko-ness is demonstrated by our inordinate interest in two yearly events: the NBA Draft and the Rookie/Sophomore game, with the latter being a progress report of sorts for the former. This year's contest found us looking back at our first FreeDrafto post on the Myth of the Next Gilbert Arenas, written on the eve of the 2005 draft. Shoals was warning against interpreting the success of Arenas to mean that other athletic, undersized 2-guards could come in the League and have success playing point. The main example cited was Luther Head, who has played well in Houston and is not entirely un-Arenas-like. But, the man whose profile most closely resembles Agent Zero's, and thus puts the lie to the MONGA (i.e., it's not a myth because he IS the next Gilbert Arenas), was on full display last night in Las Vegas, coming out of nowhere to throw down alley oops seemingly every other trip down the floor.

I'm talking about Monta Ellis.

Personality-wise, they're different animals entirely, Gilbert all fast-twitch and quirks, and Monta the humble, soft-spoken Southerner. But, in other respects, the similarities are downright eerie and also fairly obvious. Of all the places that the NGA (no racist) would emerge, who could've predicted it would be in Golden State, whose front office has proven to otherwise be largely incompetent? I know we're not the first ones to make this observation, but given the place Gil holds in the collective heart of FreeDarko, the notion that "there is another" has thrown us for a bit of a loop. It'll take some time to sort all of this out, but check back in 2011 when in all likelihood, we'll be selling t-shirts with Monta's tats on 'em.